Route « ViaRhôna, Lake Geneva <> Mediterranean sea »

ViaRhôna has a grand ambition – to lead you by bike, beside the Rhône River, from Lake Geneva to France’s Mediterranean beaches! Follow a route linking the Mediterranean to northwest Europe that has been used by successive civilizations for over 2,000 years. Wonderful landscapes, towns, villages, vineyards and gastronomy await you along the way. The work required to complete the whole ViaRhôna route to the Mediterranean will take many years, but right now, experienced cyclists can tackle the provisional itinerary. For gentler cycling, try out the many stages already in place that are accessible to all, taking you along greenways and cycle tracks beside the Rhône.

The sections from ViaRhôna, Lake Geneva <> Mediterranean sea

Intermediate from Thonon-les-Bains to Genève and from Groslée to La Balme-les-Grottes and from La Balme-les-Grottes to Jons

Expert from Saint-Gingolph to Thonon-les-Bains and from Genève to Vulbens and from Vulbens to Seyssel and from Seyssel to Belley and from Belley to Groslée

Heading out from magnificent Lake Geneva, this ViaRhôna section meanders through the mountains and valleys of the Haut-Rhône, or Upper Rhône, and on to the elegant historic city of Lyon. The landscapes as you cross Savoie and the Bugey are breathtaking, with gorges, lakes and marshes, and the typical old villages prove a delight. This section is physically challenging and incomplete as yet, but it includes some lovely Rhône-side greenways that are accessible to all.

Family from St-Romain-en-Gal to Sablons and from Tournon-sur-Rhône to Valence

Expert from Lyon to St-Romain-en-Gal and from Sablons to Tain-l'Hermitage

After visiting Lyon, a gastronomic capital, this ViaRhôna section shows you why the Rhône has long been renowned as the route of successive civilizations. Many spots recall the importance of river navigation and trade in times past. Several towns here have Roman roots, while famous vineyards line up along the steep, sunny slopes. Valence, classed a Ville d’Art et d’Histoire for its rich cultural legacy, is considered a gateway to the South of France. From Givors, south of Lyon, this section is accessible to all levels of cyclist.

Intermediate from Valence to Le Pouzin and from Châteauneuf-du-Rhône to Lapalud and from Lapalud to Caderousse and from Caderousse to Avignon

This colourful ViaRhôna section leads gently from the Rhône-Alpes Region into Provence. The historic riverside settlements like La Voulte-sur-Rhône, Montélimar or Bourg-Saint-Andéol have a Mediterranean feel. The Rhône is relatively wild here, meandering past Mediterranean orchards and fields. For the time being, ViaRhôna ends at Rhône-side Pont-Saint-Esprit. It will continue south in due course. This provisional section goes along shared roads, with some slopes.

Intermediate from Beaucaire to St-Gilles and from Aigues-Mortes to Palavas-les-Flots

Leaving Avignon, romantic Cité des Papes, this section takes you straight to the southern banks of the Rhône and in particular to the Languedoc Roussillon. The ViaRhôna is currently in the planning stages between Lamotte-du-Rhône (Vaucluse) and Gallician (Gard). The route then continues from Gallician to Le Grau-du-Roi, offering an itinerary through the Camargue Gardoise, Grand Site de France. Taking the old towpaths of the Canal du Rhône to Sète, you will reach Le Grau du Roi via Aigues-Mortes, then Palavas-les-Flots. Access as far as the port of Sète, winding between beaches and saltwater lagoons, is not yet complete.

Intermediate from Beaucaire to Arles and from Arles to Port-St-Louis-du-Rhône

After Avignon, heady city of medieval popes, this ViaRhôna section will soon allow cyclists to discover further southerly stretches of the Rhône. The sun will often be your companion on this section lined with historic towns and ports boasting a very Mediterranean feel. You end in the Camargue, with its famous lagoons, rice fields and salt pans, plus its many waterways leading to wide Mediterranean beaches.